How-to guide
How to clean a meat thermometer probe
Wash the probe with hot, soapy water or the maker’s specified method after each use.
U.S. home food-safety guidance.Check the source and scope
What to do
- Keep raw-chicken probe contact separate from ready-to-eat food; clean it before checking a finished piece.
- Wash the metal sensing area carefully, rinse as directed, and dry before storing in its sheath.
- Read the water-resistance rating before wetting a cable junction or digital head.
Conditions and limits
- Most thermometer bodies should not be immersed.
- A wipe on an unwashed raw probe is not a substitute for the maker’s cleaning method.
Source and scope
Primary reference: USDA FSIS Food Thermometers. Equipment-specific steps and quality suggestions are practical guidance; check the appliance or product instructions for your model. How this site uses sources.